Within the context of this forum (backpack hunting), it all comes back to what the rifle feels like in your hand (in bear country0 or hanging on your pack. How it handles and balances while still hunting is another matter, though related. Fitness, weight, and age all play a part, but at some point, what that rifle is like to carry becomes a fairly big deal. Now and then, I'll take my 11 pound Hawken for a walk. It is surprisingly comfortable to carry, being slim at the balance point, but old shoulders get tired now, just from that weight. A rifle which is too heavy might be mildly bothersome on a day hike up a mountain. It will be much more so on the fourth or fifth day of carrying it and the pack. This especially if you are carrying it in your hands. On the pack, it's not as much of an issue, but still counts. I've carried a pack and a nine pound rifle quite a bit and, I can tell you, a couple pounds off that rifle makes a huge difference to me. I've been on trip where I lost ten pounds or more over the course of the trip. I promise, that rifle didn't lose a goddam ounce! GD
